Vulture
|airattack= |armor=0 |range=5 |sight=8 |detect= |cooldown=30 |weapon=AGP-2 "Thumper" grenade launcher }} The Vulture-class hover bikeSC1 Vulture. StarCraft Compendium. Accessed on 2008-01-24 (aka Vulture hover cycle) is a terran hoverbike used mainly for scouting. Overview design)]] The Vulture is a lightly-armored one-man hoverbike primarily used for scouting and patrol, designed with speed and reliability in mind.Underwood, Peter, Bill Roper, Chris Metzen and Jeffrey Vaughn. StarCraft (Manual). Irvine, Calif.: Blizzard Entertainment, 1998. Its limited gravity hover technology allows the bike to travel over rough terrain with little loss of traction or speed, and reach speeds up to 230 miles per hour; an onboard computer and sensors mounted in the "nose" of the craft keep it at a steady pace for most of the time.Grubb, Jeff. StarCraft: Liberty's Crusade. Pocket Books, February 27, 2001. ISBN 0-671-04148-7. These features make the Vulture suitable for patrolling the vast wildernesses typically found around terran colonies. They produce a humming whine as they move.Mesta, Gabriel. StarCraft: Shadow of the Xel'Naga. Pocket Books, 2001. ISBN 0-671-04149-5. Vultures are ill suited for heavy combat, given their light frame. However, they make excellent skirmishers, especially against lightly armored targets. Vultures are also tasked with scavenging ("scavenger hover bike" is a term occasionally used). In some occasions, Vultures may be formed into small squadrons, usually attached to mechanized infantry. Given the speed at which the bikes move however, it is difficult to maintain cohesion.Hickman, Tracy. StarCraft: Speed of Darkness. Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books, May 21, 2002. ISBN 0-671-04150-9. The Vulture's driver seat can be enclosed depending on model, customization, or operating environment and can be configured for someone to ride shotgun.Golden, Christie (May 22, 2007). StarCraft: The Dark Templar Saga #1: Firstborn. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-7434-7125-3. In the Confederate Armored Vehicle Corps, aspiring Vulture pilots had to pass a minimal physical fitness exam before becoming a pilot.Armored Vehicle Corps. Accessed on 2008-01-28 Originally, the standard Vulture armament was an anti-personnel APG-2 "Thumper" Grenade Launcher.Source: BlizzCon 2005 StarCraft: Ghost information. Terran Vehicles. Artist: Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2007-09-08. Since the Brood War however, may instead be equipped with a mounted laser cannon.2006-02-09. Vulture. Blizzard Entertainment. Accessed 2007-09-06. Other optional equipment includes spider mines and ion thrusters. The Vulture remained in use by the Terran Dominion into 2505, where it was subsequently removed from its armed forces.Morrissey, Paul, ed. StarCraft: Frontline: Volume 1 (paperback binding). Tokyopop, August 1, 2008. ISBN 1427-80721-3. Up to this point, Dominion Ghost Program trainees began training in the use of Vultures in their second year.DeCandido, Keith R. A. (November 28, 2006). StarCraft: Ghost: Nova. Simon & Schuster (Pocket Star). ISBN 0-7434-7134-2. However, Vultures can still be found in use by the mercenary group Raynor's Raiders. Technology similar to that found in the Vulture is available in civilian hoverbikes, such as the 428 hoverbike. Game Unit StarCraft Vultures are ideal for scouting and dealing with small-sized ground units. Hit-and-run attacks capitalize on speed to mitigate low durability but require greater player attention. Spider mines may be laid to keep an eye on potential expansion spots or harass an incoming enemy attack force. Abilities Upgrades Quotations : See: Vulture Quotations StarCraft: Ghost riding a Vulture]] The Vulture unit in StarCraft: Ghost is still a lightly-armored fast-moving vehicle. It is armed with either an AGP-2 "Thumper" Grenade Launcher or a laser cannon. Capable of being used by ghosts and light infantry, it is nonetheless vulnerable to enemy attacks, including having the vehicle stolen from underneath the driver. StarCraft II The Vulture, while not available in multiplayer, is available in the terran campaign, Wings of Liberty, able to be built by Raynor's Raiders. Known Vulture Pilots Major Vulture Pilots *Marshal/Captain Jim Raynor *"Sergeant" *Aios Karnage (mercenary leader) Other Vulture Pilots *Captain Plunder *Corporal Smith-punn *Private Bowers *Private Fu *Private William Peaches *Private Amy Windom Images Image: Vulture Profile.jpg|The Vulture's profile in StarCraft Image:VultureSC2.jpg|The Vulture's current model in StarCraft II References Category: StarCraft: Ghost Terran units Category: Terran Vehicle Classes Category:StarCraft II Terran campaign units